5 Natural Solutions for Pet Separation Anxiety

Anyone who has ever had a dog that suffered with Separation Anxiety knows how heartbreaking it can be to watch your pet in distress.

Before turning to pharmaceuticals, here are some natural remedies that just might help:

Sound

Sound can be used to help your dog feel like he's not alone. Leaving the radio or television on, can often be enough to help ease that anxiety. There are also CD's designed specifically for dogs.

A Safe Place

A crate can be a safe place for your dog when anxiety sets in. A wire crate can be covered on the top and sides with a sheet or light blanket. If a crate isn't a viable option, you can make an area in a closet or bathroom a safe place for your pet.
Add a blanket or bed for cuddling up on. You can also add music, a fan or a wind up alarm clock. Just make sure anything you add to your dog's safe place is secured so it cannot fall or otherwise harm or frighten your dog.

Herbs or Supplements

There are many herbs or natural supplements that will help in relieving or reducing stress.

L-Theanine is a natural ingredient found in tea. L-Theanine can help reduce stress, without causing drowsiness.

Valerian Root is derived from the root of the Valerian flower. While it does have some natural properties to aid with sleep, it can also be used to help reduce stress and anxiety.

Rescue Remedyis a product derived from flowers, it comes in spray form, or drops that can be added to your dog's water.

Colostrum is a natural ingredient found in mother's milk. A nursing mom passes this along to her puppy, and it also aids in boosting the immune system.

Cannabidiol or CBD is an ingredient in marijuana. The oil is extracted from the marijuana plant and the oils are used in treats. The treats often times have a calming effect on dogs.

L-Tryptophan is an essential amino acid found in certain plants and animal proteins. After being processed in the body, the L-Tryptophan converts to serotonin.

Essential Oils/Diffusers

Certain oils can have calming and soothing properties. Try a tabletop diffuser with Lavender, Ylang Ylang, Bergamot, Frankincense, Chamomile or Rose oil. There are also diffusers that plug directly into an electrical socket.

Pressure Therapy

A thunder shirt is a form-fitting shirt, (think swaddling for a baby), the shirt uses pressure point technique to help calm anxiety in dogs.
When my retriever mix, Sampson, had a bad experience with a smoke alarm, not only did he begin having aversion to noise, he also started with Separation Anxiety. Preferring the natural approach myself, I worked closely with my Vet to develop a protocol that would work for Sampson.
Currently I use a combination of sound, (the radio or television is always left on when I leave the house,) and supplements. Through my vet, I found a great chew that combines, L-Theanine, L-Tryptophan and Colostrum. He also gets a Valerian Root capsule twice a day with his meals.
It may take some experimenting to find the right treatment, or combination of treatments for your pet, but you'll both feel better in the end.
Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian and am only sharing my experiences. Always consult your veterinarian before beginning any treatment.
Jodi Stone
Jodi Stone is the author of Heart Like a Dog, a community based blog, where readers go to find humor, inspiration and support. Inspired by the challenges she faced when she rescued her dog, Delilah, Jodi's goal is to let other dog owners know that their dog doesn't have to be perfect and they definitely aren't alone!
Jodi is cohost of the popular Barks and Bytes Blog hop, is co-creator of the DADO blog hop, and created the Caring for Critters Round Robin which resulted in a community health page for pets as a permanent addition to her blog.
Graduating with a degree in Communications, Jodi currently works as an administrative assistant.
Jodi lives in CT with her husband and two dogs, Sampson and Delilah. When she's not blogging, Jodi can be found hiking the trails with Sampson and Delilah, spending time with her grandchildren, or cuddle up with a good book and preferably a dog.
Jodi is most active socially on her blog www.heartlikeadog.com or https://www.facebook.com/HeartLikeADog/

The best evaluations of our products come from the people who’ve bought them.

bought two of these

Searched for different ones, decided on this one. Exceeded all expectations. Bought one for a new care and another for our 2004 4 runner. Provides good protection for vehicle and our 140 dog. We travel and camp extensively also good for bringing thing back form garden shop.

Does exactly what we wanted. We can easily raise a part of the seat to give our dogs better access to the rear seat of our pickup. And it's easily removed or installed when we need to put humans back there!

The covers are absolutely the best and I have had quite a few over the years.
I had a minor issue with my cover and asked if I could get it repaired. The response was: "Thank you for reaching out to us. Your cover is absolutely covered by 4Knines Lifetime Warranty!" I received a new one.

I purchased this rear bench cover for a friend with two dogs that frequently accompany her to her barn. No problem with wet, muddy feet. Fits well and protects her investment in her car. The cover arrived promptly as promised.